MACC To Issue Corruption Ranking For Ministries

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 11 – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will be ranking each ministry on the issue of corruption and abuse of power, said its Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad. He said the list (containing the rankings) which had been completed and validated by the experts involved would be announced to the public in November or December.

“The list is drawn up so that every ministry can see their ranking and work to improve their positions. The ranking will show the top 10 ministries with problems and five in the cleanest’ ministries category,” he told a press conference after a Corruption-Free Pledge (IBR) ceremony held by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) here today.

He said the ranking would be drawn up every year and expanded to include all government departments and agencies in the country. However, Dzulkifli refused to comment further when he was asked about the ministry with the most problems, only saying it would be revealed during the official announcement ceremony.

He said the ranking was not a new thing because it was practised in other countries including South Korea. On the IBR, Dzulkifli said so far 620 ministries, government agencies and departments, government-linked companies, non-governmental organisations, foundations and institutes of higher learning had taken the pledge.

“This shows a high level of commitment from all parties to ensure that their organisations are free of corruption and abuse of power,” he said. On MPIC, Dzulkifli said so far, the MACC had not received any complaints on the ministry and it was one of the ministries without a high risk of corruption and abuse of power.

Meanwhile, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said all the funds allocated to the ministry such as the Monsoon Season Assistance amounting to RM261 million and the RM130 million for the rubber-replanting scheme must be managed with trustworthiness so that they are not misused for personal gain.

He said the ministry’s IBR was a manifestation by all the staff of the ministry, its agencies and councils to reject corruption. “The government remains committed, if there is anyone or any group of people in the MPIC, agency or council who is without integrity or free of corruption, we will be firm in taking action against them,” he said. — Bernama

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